Very quiet in Freehold tonight and I was alerted to a loud overhead call in the dark because the back door was open at 12.24am . Clearly two birds circling for five minutes and not very high, calling continuously, then moving straight east of us and disappeared. Waderish sounding call like a higher pitched, quieter and more complicated oystercatcher. Racked my brains then went to xeno-canto. Went through possible candidates. From several different recordings clearly a couple of dotterel. Never heard this before. Not sure if dates for transit tally.
https://www.xeno-canto.org/sounds/uploaded/RWHGTWZNPX/ffts/XC146721-large.png was the best match though many similar.
I guess anyone climbing Clougha, Inglebrough or the Casterton/Barbon fells may be rewarded tomorrow before the big weather arrives.
A couple of minutes later distracted by the International Space Station zooming from West to East across the moon.
It’s a funny old World.
